People from outside the EU working in Malta legally will soon start to enjoy a full set of rights on par with Maltese citizens, such as access to health, education and social security services.
An important step towards facilitating legal migration and ensuring rights for migrants
An EU law approved by the European Parliament yesterday is aimed at creating new channels of legal labour in the bloc and is also seen as a way of reducing illegal immigration.
The Single Permit Directive gives legal migrants the right to have a single and combined residence and work permit, giving them access to the labour market and a raft of benefits.
It ensures they receive equal treatment with EU nationals in terms of working conditions, recognition of educational and professional qualifications, taxation, vocational training and access to social security, including unemployment benefits and the transfer of acquired pensions.
The directive was endorsed by member states a few weeks ago and will become law throughout the bloc in two years’ time.
In Malta, non-EU citizens are particularly active in areas such as construction, tourism and domestic work.
Although the directive will make it easier for legal migrants to gain access to the EU’s labour market, individual member states will still be able to decide how many migrant workers they want to allow in, and in which economic sectors.
Addressing MEPs during the debate in Strasbourg, Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil said the law should also help reduce illegal immigration towards the EU as for the first time, non-EU citizens have a legal way to enter the bloc without the need of risking their lives.
Hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants try to cross EU borders every year with their main aim being to work and reside in one of the 27 member states. Many of them end up being employed illegally by abusive employers who take advantage of their “illegal” status.
The EU estimates that in the coming years it will need some two to three millions new migrants in its labour markets because of a sharp drop of available workers mainly due to demographic change and an ageing population.
Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom hailed the EP’s green light for the directive. She said this was an important step towards facilitating legal migration and ensuring rights for migrants working legally and contributing to the cultural richness of societies as well as to the strength of economies.
“For the first time in the area of legal migration, the Council and the Parliament have been involved as co-legislators on an equal basis. I am particularly glad that it resulted in a balanced compromise ensuring a rights-based approach,” she said.